After a decade of negotiations, sociology professor Chan Kin-man realized the Chinese government was not going to grant Hong Kong genuine democracy — not without a struggle, anyway.
So with another academic and a Baptist minister, Chan has threatened to organize a sit-in for democracy in Hong Kong's business district.
The threat has resulted in one of the biggest political tempests in Hong Kong in years. The Chinese government has warned darkly of "chaos," while its media have said the mild-mannered trio and their supporters risk becoming an "enemy of the state." Hong Kong's business elite are so alarmed at the possibility of unrest that they have organized a rival movement.